Regulator



June 28, 1960 L. A. RICE 2,943,169

REGULATOR Filed Oct. 7, 1957 INVENTOR:

Z /a7! Q Rice /s ATTORNEY United States Patent REGULATOR Lyman' A. Rice, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 688,711

l Clalm. ((1200-87) This invention relates to automatic regulators for the electrical system of a motor vehicle having particular reference to regulators that are used in the battery charging circuit of a motor vehicle. The invention to be described may be used with regulators of the voltage or current type or may be used with the cut-out relay of an automotive electrical system and is generally applicable to all types of encased electrical switching apparatus.

One of the big factors that reduces the operating efiiciency of automotive type regulators and switching apparatus in general is the ultimate pitting of the regulator contacts which in time deteriorate the same to a point. where the regulator is performing far below its intended optimum efiiciency. This pitting is due to arcing of the contacts and is accelerated where the contacts become oxidized due to operation in an ordinary atmosphere that may be more or less humid and which generally contains some measure of moisture. This contact pitting is also due to the presence of organic and hydrocarbon vapors Within the regulator housing which form a carbon deposit on the contacts.

In certain instances, attempts have been made to solve this problem by placing the contacts in an evacuated hermetically sealed chamber so as to exclude humid air and other vapors from the chamber. This solution to the problem has the disadvantage of greatly increasing the cost of manufacture of the regulator, and has a further disadvantage in that the enclosure forming the chamber may at some time become punctured or disassembled for service so as to render the enclosure no longer impervious to moisture.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means for adsorbing any moisture or organic and hydrocarbon vapors that may find their way into the enclosed chamber of enclosed switching apparatus and thus greatly prolong the operating life of the switching contacts. The adsorbing means preferably takes the form of a quantity of a suitable desiccant or other adsorbent material that is disposed within the enclosure of the enclosed switch. The desiccant or other adsorbent material adsorbs any moisture or vapor originally present in the switch enclosure or which may enter the switch enclosure during a servicing operation, and thus prevents oxidation or carbon coating of the switch contacts and rapid deterioration of the same.

This invention has particular significance and utility in the field of automotive regulators where the regulators are subjected to organic or hydrocarbon vapors and to large differentials in temperature and humidity. It is, accordingly, another object of this invention to provide an automotive regulator including switch contacts enclosed by a regulator housing with a quantity of a suitable adsorbing material located interiorly of the housing so as to maintain the interior thereof free of moisture and other vapors. It will be observed that when means are pro vided for adsorbing moisture and other vapors the regulator housing it is not necessary to evacuate the regulator'chamber order to prolong regulator contact hfe.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a regulator with a quantity of silica gel and/or activated charcoal interiorly thereof in order to adsorb moisture and other vapors within the regulator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a regu lator with a suitable package of desiccant and/ or activated charcoal interiorly thereof, the regulator including means for removably supporting the package.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end view of a regulator with parts broken away embodying the adsorbing means of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of an adsorbent package that is disposed within the regulator housing of Fig. 1.

The moisture and vapor adsorbing arrangement of this invention is adapted for use with a regulator of the type shown in Figure l. The regulator shown is a voltage regulator but it will be understood that the regulator could be a current regulator, or could be a cut-out relay of a motor vehicle battery charging system. In most instances, the regulator housing contains more than one regulator, and although only one regulator is shown in Figure 1 it will be apparent that this invention is applicable to regulator and switching constructions in general irrespective of the number of regulator units used.

The regulator shown in Figure 1 comprises a base 10 to which is secured a frame 12. The base 10 also supports a cover 14 which is fastened to the base by suitable threaded fasteners (not shown). A sealing gasket 16 made of suitable resilient material is interposed between the cover and the base to form a sealed chamber that contains the regulator switching structure. The chamber is sealed sufliciently to withstand 3 to 4 pounds per square inch pressure differential without substantial leakage.

The frame 12 supports an armature 18 that carries an electrical switching contact 20. A second contact 22 that coperates with contact 20 is supported by a bracket 24 that is in turn supported by the regulator coil assembly. The regulator coil assembly includesa core 26 and coil windings 28 that are suitably wound on the core. The core is preferably wound with the conventional series and shunt windings both represented by reference numeral 28.

The regulator operates in the conventional manner with the contacts 20 and 22 being normally held closed by a spring (not shown). When the coil windings 28 are suitably energized, the armature 18 is attracted to open contacts 20 and 22 as is well known to those skilled in the art. The cycle of opening and closing of the contacts of the regulator when in operation in a motor vehicle electrical system may occur at a rate of 50 to 200 times a second.

In order to adsorb moisture from within the regulator and thus prolong the life of contacts 20 and 22, a quantity of a suitable desiccant or dehydrating agent is placed within the interior of the regulator. To this end, a suitable container or package 30 containing a quantity of silica gel 32 is placed within the regulator. The container 30 takes the form of a tube having end caps 34 that are perforated at 36. The tube proper may also be perforated if desired in order that more of the silica gel will contact the air in the regulator. The silica gel may be in finely divided form or may take the form of small pellets.

The container or package may be disposed in any desired position in the regulator and as shown in Figure l is clamped against the cover 14 by a spring 38 made of suitable spring material and riveted or otherwisesecured to the cover. 'With this arrangement, the container is removably secured within the regulator housing.

Since the silica gel readily adsorbs moisture from the air within the regulator, the atmosphere within the regulator is maintained relatively dry, th ils preventing .o'xitlasorb these vapors a quantity of activated carbon is preferably disposed within the regulator housing. The carbon may-be contained in a container (not shown) that is identical with container 30, the container being placed in anytsuitable positionwithi-n the regulator. "Ihecontainer '30 might also contain-both a quantity of silica gel and a quantity of activated carbon. Where both silica gel and activated carbon are provided withinthe regulatonboth inoisture and organic or hydrocarbon vapors are adsorbed to greatly prolong the, contact life of the regulator.

hile the f m of em d me 9f the in e t a herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is" to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

A regulator adapted for use with a motor vehicle electrical system comprising, a base, a cover removably secured to said base and forming a sealed chamber therewith, a relay including an actuating coil and a pair of switch contacts in said "chamber, a package having an elongated imperforate tubular portion and perforate end vcaps containing a quantity of silica gel and activated carbon in said chamber, and res en, means" toirelegsjably holding'said package against an inner wall of saidicoyer.

ReferencesCited in thetfile ofthis patent NIT STAT S ,PATEN 1,146,019 Pfund July 13, 1915 =1,480,225 Snook Jan. 8, 1924 2,389,592 Bucklen et al 151cm. ;21,. 1;945

2,589 454 .Swr and- Ma 11: 5. ,6 7,907 Umbarg .e cal --o-,?.-,-- Nov M1 95. 

